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Dutch court says Van Gogh killer can be tried on terrorism charges | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) – The confessed killer of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, who is serving a life sentence in prison, will be tried again as a member of a terrorist network, Dutch media reported Friday.

Mohammed Bouyeri, 27, was convicted of the murder in July and has already been given the maximum penalty under Dutch law.

A district court ruled that he can go on trial for a second time in December. He will be tried with a dozen other alleged members of the so-called Hofstad network, which allegedly plotted to attack a major landmark or kill politicians.

Bouyeri”s defense lawyer, Peter Plasman, had asked the court to throw out the second case against his client, arguing that further proceedings would be a pointless show trial.

All alleged members face charges of threatening lawmakers Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Geert Wilders, both outspoken critics of radical Islam. They could be sentenced to life imprisonment for impeding the work of legislators.